Apparatus and method for making a plastic composition and product



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CROSS RH tRtNGE APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING A PLASTIC Feb. 1, 1949.

Filed May 22, 1942 NM. QR

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Filed May 22, 1942 CROSS RU'IIRIZNUZ W' R. w. CHAFFEE 2,460,571 APPARATUS.AND METHOD FOR MAKING A PLASTIC COMPOSITION AND PRODUCT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 pwfi a i) (9 46 hvVsurbe: FAA 004x 14 m O/AFFEEI g prises three elements.

Patented Feb. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING A PLASTIC COMPOSITION AND PRODUCT Randolph W. Chafl'ee, Normandy, Mo. Application May 22, 1942, Serial N 444,139

prises a 1i no-cellulosefiber with a coagglated p r9 tei n biner having greater strength and havmg a composition capable of a much wider range of density than has heretofore been possible.

The process here employed is continuous, and by it the steps are automatically performed from the making of the fibers to the delivery of the finished plastic product.

Objects of the invention include the provision of a plastic material capable of being made in a wide range of densities whereby to have a wide range of uses. I

A further object comprises the provision of such a plastic material formed of cellulose fibers and having an increased tensile strength.

A further object is to provide a material of this kind having a major proportion of fiber filler, and a minor proportion of protein binder, whereby to attain the characteristics here set forth.

Additional objects include the provision of a method of making such a material which is continuous and which is automatic from beginning to end.

A further object is to provide in such a method, a means of obtaining difierent densities in the finished product.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partly diagrammatical view, partly in longitudinal section, of the mechanism showing the various steps in the process;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism as shown approximately on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 toward the right of Fig. l; and,

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a driving sprocket engaging pins on the ends of the several press units.

The materials employed in the manufacture of this product comprise any form of vegetable ligno-cellulose fiber, such as hemp, sisa, cotton, or

excelsior in which the individu'fl fiber, retaining its natural lignins and resins, is used in lengths of 4" or greater. Wood wool, a fine grade of excelsior, having the advantage of availability, may be used. This may be derived from any species or grade of hard soft wood. in the present product, strands of the longest possible length are preferred up to 3 It is not essential that broken strands be removed.

With this filler is used a bond. The bond com- First, there is a 5m der obtained from the meal of the peanut, soy bean,

or other ve etable of high protein content from which the oil; been removed and which is ground to a fineness 01325 "mes Protein availability of the flour should be as high as possible, not less than 50% by weight and preferably in excess of 70%.

The second element of the bond comprises lime, preferably in the form of unhydrated uicklime containing not less than 9 by weight of cal.-

1 cium oxide. This is, likewise, ground to a neness 0 mesh and mixed with the protein in a proportion of one part quicklime to four parts protein flour. This mixing must be thorough and complete toward the end that each particle of quicklime contacts with four parts of protein flour. A comp ete mixing may be accomplished by mixing both the protein flour and the quicklime flour togetherin a ball or pebble mill for about an hour.

The third material in the bond is water, to which may be added, if desired, a trace mum ilicate in a proportion of 5 to 10% by weight. Silicate of soda is added to increase the adhesion of flour mixture to filler strands and to prevent loss of adhesive due to vibration and handling.

The foregoing are the essential elements of the material. Other elements may be added for particuar purposes. D e and pi mepts may be added in dry form to he flour l'l'llX me or any liquid form to the water. Chemicals, such as formaldehyde, may be added in minute quanti- 1es to 0 am higher degree of waterproofness.

Other accessor materials may be added to increase resistance to 5 eat and flame and for like purposes.

A description of a suitable illustrative series of mechanisms for making the product will demonstrate the process.

A shaver it of a commercial type is adapted to receive wood or like material to be employed as the filler material (the shaver here being typical of various known sources of supply of fiber materia). The shaver discharges these shavings considerably matted together across a conveyor 12 that consists of a series of wires which will not be gummed by the sticky resin from the shavings, and from which any such deposits may easily be removed.

The filler material H then passes into a chamber [3 in which it is sprayed by spray nozzles 14 and I5 arranged across the conveyor, until it is impregnated with a measured quantity of water mist.

The fibers at this point have a desired length, 55 which is ordinarily determined by the length of Within the chamber at opposite corners are disposed two air discharge devices 22 and 23. At their large end, they are provided with blowers 24 directing the air under proper pressure into them. Across the upper edge each member 22 and 23 is provided with a slot 25 from which the air emits in a ribbon-like jet. The tapered construction (Fig. 2) is designed to distribute the air uniform y across the conveyor. The two air members 22 and 23 discharge horizontal streams of air, the one across the top of the chamber 20 and the other across the bottom.

Disposed across the chamber 20 from side wall to side wall is a channel 21, at one end of which there is a hopper 28 adapted to be filled either continuously or, preferably, at suitable intervals, from a mixer 29. A feed screw driven by suitable power means (not shown) is located at the bottom of the hopper 28 and extends into the channel 21 to force the material from end to end of the channel.

The bonding flour and quicklime are put into the mixer 29 wherein they are suitably mixed, preferably in batches, and thence passed to the hopper 28. From the hopper, they are conveyed across the channel 21 by the feed screw 30 as a powder, which substantially fills the channel and offers an upper surface of the powder at the top of the channel to the horizontal current of air. This air current from the air outlet 25 entrains the powder bond and conveys it against a deflector 3| and down onto the fiufi upon the conveyor I2. The deflector 3| has its trailing edge curved away from the wall to deflect the flow away from the outlet of the dusting chamber, thereby to save material. Just below the conveyor is an exhaust device 32 with its discharge passage arranged across the chamber at a location to receive air from the edge of the deflector 3|. This exhaust device is then connected to the inlet end of the blower, to recirculate the air.

There is a similar channel 33 on the bottom of the chamber 20 fed by a screw 34 from another hopper, not shown, and which provides a surface of bonding powder within the air stream from the air member 23. This air stream entrains powder which is deflected by the deflector 35 against the lower side of the fluff upon the conveyor strands adjacent the entrance of the chamber 20. And an exhaust device 36 connected back into the blower, completes the air circuit. By these means, the powder passing through the chamber 20 is thoroughly and equally distributed to all of the strands of the filling material.

It will be seen that the proportion of flour mixture distributed upon the moistened strands of fiber is controlled by feeding the bonding powder into the chamber 20 at a measured rate and by arranging the air current in such a manner that none of the flour is permitted to leave the air current or to accumulate immobility within the chamber.

Density of the finished material will determine the proportion of fiber to bonding material, as a amount, such as 2".

low density product requires less of the bond. The range of densities in the finished product is between 5 and 200#/cu. ft. For example, 1 part flour mixture to 9 parts of fiber filler is used at low density, compared with 1 part flour to 4 parts filler at high density. In any case, the ratio of flour to filler is quite low, although a reasonable excess of flour above the specified minimums is not critical.

Similarly, the relative proportion of water varies with density. At high density, as little as 50% of the combined weight of fiber filler and fiour mixture is applied as water, as compared with for low density. And, of course, the proportion of water added varies with the moisture content of the fiber filler.

As has been heretofore observed, the water supply in the chamber l3 may be provided with a small proportion of sodium silicate. In any case, the moistened fibers readily take up the powder bonding material. The direction of air currents Within the chamber 20 ensures a situation wherein the air within the chamber 20 is substantially filled with the powder.

The fiufi H duly impregnated passes upon the conveyor l2 from the chamber 20 onto a second conveyor 37. This conveyor is separately driven so that its speed may vary with respect to the speed of the conveyor [2. The speeds may be regulable as by using individual variable speed motor drives which are not shown.

The proper impregnation of the filler with the bonding material demands that the thickness of the fiufi upon the conveyor I2 not exceed a given However, a 2" thickness would provide a very thin sheet of material after compression to a normal density within the range of densities herein contemplated. Hence, it is desirable to operate the conveyor 3'! slowly, so that a greater depth of fluff will accumulate upon this conveyor than was upon the conveyor I2. For example, if the finished thickness is to be /2" in a sheet of medium density of 30 lb. per cu. ft., the flufi content upon the conveyor 31 will stand 16" high before compression indicating a compaction ratio in the press of 1:32. And, in order to get a thickness of 16" upon the conveyor 31 from a 2" thickness upon the conveyor l2, the former should operate at one-eighth of the speed of the latter.

The transfer of the fiufi fromthe conveyor l2 to the conveyor 37 must be accomplished with a minimum of disturbance, in order to avoid loss and uneven distribution of the flour mixture on the strands and also to avoid pulling the strands apart, which would break their intermingling and interlocking.

After the belts of the conveyors discharge their material, they pass through scrapers and washers (not shown) upon their return trip and prior to receiving additional material. Conventional cleaning means may be used.

It is manifestly necessary to accumulate a desired amount of fluff in any mold or press for making any article. This material, for certain jobs, may be taken oif the conveyor l2 or may be taken from the conveyor 31, as for making articles in batch molds. In other cases, sheet material will be made as shown in the drawings. There has been shown here a continuous press disposed to receive the material from the conveyor 31. This press has a lower section 40 and an upper section 4 I. A similarity in construction of the sections will be apparent as the descrip-' tion continues.

' 2) plate embers 1:2. The piste m mbe s-extend l5 and 4'! 1115611 the channels 03 aria 44. A suificie'nt number of p'latsBZ are dispbsed between the channels to provide a continuous contact surface ,f'or the material. Each plate has aflat surface 43 ntersectassess-1 i E nti .Wl chi de mg with a forward angular edge 49. curved at into a second forward edge portion 5| thatintrsects with the bottom surface 52. At the rear, the edge surfaces are5 which intersect 52 and merge into the curved urface 5 l th at, in turn, merges into an upper slop ing suriace ..55. The ur'face 55 is parallel to t he suri ace 49, .and is -symmetrical about a horizontal axis with the surface 53, although the latter symmetryis not essential. For proper tracking, thesurface 53 must be angularly spaced from the adjacent surface 5! to permit the several plates to track around the curves at the corners of the conveyor as shown inlhg. i. Hence, theangle between the surface 5| and 53 is afunction oi thesteepness cf the curvature of corners of the structure,

flhe rollers 56 and 41, as shown in Fig. 3, are spaeediromthe ends oithe plates 42 to provide sprocket lugs 58that are engaged by a Droc ket wheel 59 at the entering' corner oi the press. This sprocket wheel is mounted upon one of the standards 80, to' which thechannels are attached. It has a shaft Bi by means of which it is driveniro'm a suitable power sourqe Asprocket is Provided n? f qr espoedie m ntadia n the channel 44 and synchronized with the sproclgi-' h s ro kets. hqwe har .n mounted upon the same shaft, but may be geared together, ii desired. a e

Power will thus be supplied to one orrnore oi the plates 42 adjacent theentering part of the press. In like manner, corresponding plates of the upper member}! willbe driven as by a sprocket 63, also mounted on the standard 60. Of course, the direction of the two pressmembers is angularly opposite as it appears in Fig. 1. The Sprocket 1 wi l t av l,clq kyisafl the sprocket 63 will travel counterclockwise.

opposite sides of thepress and medially thereof are located additional standards 85. These standards receive a journal hollow shaft 66 connected to a suitables'ourc of steam. On its inner end, each shaft BB has a manifold 51 m which are corinectd a series o'iflei'iible hoses 68, each or which is connected one of the plates 42. A suitable sized port passes through one e'rid t9 the other end of eaeh plate 42 901. e i t 'tem..tiir i ibeu rihe l to eshaust it at theother end. It vcould be exhausted into another mechanism, such as the manifold 6! andhoses 68, ifdesired. s-

As the material from the conveyor 31 is discharged onto the lower press table 40, it is caught up by the moving plates 42 and is finally wedged between the upper and lowerpresses. It is then 7 ornpressed to the desired thickness. U

in the press; the platens are evenly and constantly heated by the steam to a temperature of between 250 and 400 F. The time for performing the press operation will vary between three and six minutes, depending upon the thickness,

taste bi its sari ti its drive sprockets, e

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means are, provided to prevent adhesion or the materials to the presses or eyes. l leavykraft paper. rolls [5 and 16 are located upon the stand- @1 5 at thee i c nd .of hei rei sm mie T i per s mpre a ed th su e is i eX a d s e a .h su racee isn. a e en th -s ms ihenmi are lower press members and the margins-1; Elie strips of paper I1 and!!! from the respective ro'ils maybe recovered and reused. l, -,.T D BSSII p q ti fi p f flep fi mi the density desired in the finished material. The highest density requires 6,000 lbs. per sq. iii. capacity After being, si i as assess, its

materialis delivered ro drymg. ,It may take 'lac in mean but the material should be supported to prevent warping during the drying, It requires abouteight hours during whichtime chemical reaction started in the press may be eompleted, Affter d1jying,the material may be handled in any manner Without injury. r

As heretofore noted, intermittent or bateh presses may be used .and the, material inay be made into any shape desired, by taking fluff from conveyor l-Z or conveyor 35 for disposition in suitable quantities in individual molds. g It will be understood that variations maybe made in the process and product, or each of them. For instance, a heavy kraft paper may be substituted for thefibers-using two sheets of paper with the .bond between. Also the fibrous material maybe subjected to injection molding. Asa i esult of employing the foregoing process, the material resulting has many desired characteristics. In the lowest and the highestdensities, its tensile. strength varies directly frorn. 50 lbs. per s in. to 5,000 lbs, per: sq. in. The tensi e strength increases as the number of points o f eo'ritact and bond between individual strands increases. These increase with density. ye

, Due to the mu'ltiplicatiod'oi the t'rsi and tile 'serni resilient bonds betweenfibers ahd ahead- ,tiiti'o'ri crane long fibers used, resistance to rcpture is greater thanin any otheranal ogous n1ateri als. It is found, ow ver, that no rupture occurs under15 defiection. Thematerial returns from a lesser deflection to normal without injury.

rns material as this e b'pdiudrfitg ,the density employed. At. a medium density rgo lbs. per cu ft, in thickness, the nail helding strength is about 160 lbs. I

, as material has a; number bf as sulating boards. I At inedium density of 29 lbs. per cu. ft., the material holds iestr against a bull Li P Q b e r t. ..eiea-.-. n.

il m l ondu i var s-m r ed u i nsity. At a medium densityof 20 lbs; per sq. ft., thermal conductivity is .33 B. t. ukper hour.

Acoustical absorption at low. density is 10% measured in percentage of impinging sound absorption at certain standard frequencies: It :11-

iriinishes with increase in density.

Water absorption, measured in percent a: dry wight updn total immersion for two nour's roilowed by natural draining, is limited to 5%, and varies slightly with density. Linear expansiiin due to moisture under the same conditions is; ie'ss tna;n;5%.

an? resistance is men. witiiiiut its seamen TOT added :protectives, and the finished material will not support its own combustion.

While more injurious to cutting tools than ordinary lumber, the material is subject to sawing, drilling and otherwise being formed with the familiar wood tools.

The material is obviously subject to an unlimited number of uses. For instance, in its low density form, it can be used as an acoustical tile or pad as insulation, as a roofing sheet to'be laid in bituminous mastic and the like. In its median densities, it may also be used as an insulation, as a core for veneered decorative paneling, and as siding material in which latter use it may be covered, if desired, to obtain different appearances.

The high density material may be used as a core for veneered panels in furniture, as a wide substitute in cabinets and the like, as a paneling for vehicle bodies, stove boards and the like; as a base to be coated for construction of acid or alkali vats and containers and for disc enclosure seals, and gaskets for'beverage containers.

' The foregoing uses are in the main for plate or sheet material. It is, of course, subject to be molded in innumerable three dimensional articles, such as fruit baskets, boxes, shaping boxes, storage battery cases, arch supporters, fan blades, toys, etc.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for use in making plastic material, comprising a chamber, a conveyor passing through the chamber, the conveyor having openings therethrough from top to bottom, air discharge means adapted to discharge a ribbon of air across the conveyor, bond discharge means providing a supply of powdered bond across the conveyor and in the path of the ribbon of air, and means to deflect the air stream onto one side of the conveyor.

2. A mechanism for use in making plastic material, including a chamber having inlet and outlet openings, a conveyor passing through the chamber to convey a filler material therethrough, and spaced from the top and bottom thereof, and having openings therethrough from top to bottom, a blower, air discharge means across the conveyor adapted to discharge air in the chamber, bond discharge means providing a supply of bonding material within the air stream to be entrained thereby, means deflecting the stream away from said inlet and outlet openings and onto and through the material on the conveyor, exhaust means on the opposite side of the conveyor to receive the stream and redirect it into the blower.

3. A mechanism for use in making plastic material, including a means for producing fibers of filler material, a conveyor receiving the fibers from the fiber-producing means, the speed of the conveyor being related to the speed of operation of the fiber-producing means to produce a given thickness of material on the conveyor, a moisture chamber through which the conveyor extends, moisture jets therein discharging a spray of. moisture onto the material, a bond applying chamber through which the conveyor extends, means in the latter chamber to provide an air stream laden with bonding material, di-

rected onto the material previously moistened, a second conveyor disposed to receive the material from the first, and traveling at a different speed so as to pile up the material to a desired depth, a continuous press adapted to receive the material from the second conveyor, said press including upper and lower platens moving continuously, and means to heat the platens to a desired temperature.

4. A mechanism for use in making plastic material, comprising a chamber, a conveyor passing through the chamber having openings therethrough from top to bottom, a first air discharge means adapted to discharge a stream of air onto one side of said conveyor, bond discharge means providing a supply of powdered bond across the conveyor and in the path of the stream of air from said first discharge means, a, second air discharge and a second hand discharge means operable on the opposite side of the conveyor, and separate means for deflecting the air streams of both discharge means onto and through the conveyor.

5. A process of making a plastic material, consisting of coating ligno-cellulose fibers with a bond comprising a binder of flour obtained from a vegetable from which the oil has been removed, and in which the protein content is at least 50% by weight, lime, and Water, compressing the coated fibers at temperatures of 250-400 F. and effecting by the pressure and heat a chemical change into a plastic mass.

6. A plastic material, consisting of ligno-cellulose fibers and a bond, the bond consisting of the plasticized product of a binder of an oil-free vegetable fiour of at least 50% protein content by weight, lime in the proportion of approximately one part to each four parts of the fiour, and water, converted chemically by heat and pressure into a plastic mass.

7. A plastic material consisting of ligno-cellulose fibers and a bond, the bond consisting of a plasticized product of a binder of an oil-free vegetable flour of at least 50% protein content by weight, in the ratio of one part of flour to from four to nine parts of fibers, lime in the proportion of approximately one part to each four parts of the flour, and water, the ratio of water to combined weight of fibers and fiour being 50% to converted chemically by heat and pressure into a plastic mass.

, RANDOLPH W. CHAFFEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 393,002 Flegle Nov. 20, 1888 1,000,295 Rumel Aug. 8, 1911 1,245,984 Satow Nov. 6, 1917 1,336,402 Weiss Apr. 6, 1920 1,336,403 Weiss Apr. 6, 1920 1,336,404 Weiss Apr. 6, 1920 1,542,559 Kopp June 16, 1925 1,635,391 Wood July 12, 1927 1,698,881 Erdmann Jan. 15, 1929 1,952,208 Hussey Mar. 27, 1934 1,970,742 Gerard et al. Aug. 21, 1934 1,990,554 Libberton -1-" Feb. 12, 1935 2,008,892 Asplund July 23, 1935 2,012,805 Brown et a1. Aug. 27, 1935 2,047,170 Asplund July 14, 1936 2,057,167 Sherman Oct. 13, 1936 2,127,287 Carson Aug. 16, 1938 2,142,334 Robinson Jan. 3, 1939 2,206,055 Sheesley July 2, 1940 2,276,869 Pond 1 Mar. 17, 1942 2,288,072 Collins June 30, 1942 2,289,250 Denning July 7, 1942 2,297,341 Wood Sept. 29, 1942 

